Four Former Alabama State Players Accused of 2024 NCAA Game Fix

The NCAA has confirmed that four former Alabama State men’s basketball players were involved in manipulating a game for betting purposes in December 2024.

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According to the Division I Committee on Infractions, the players, Amarr Knox, Shawn Fulcher, Corey Hines, and Tony Madlock, agreed to throw a contest against Southern Mississippi after being offered money by outside bettors. One of the athletes admitted to his role, while the others either refused to cooperate or gave false information during the investigation. All four have been declared permanently ineligible. 

The case first came to light in July 2025 when Temple University informed NCAA enforcement staff that Corey Hines, who had transferred there, had been contacted by the FBI and shown text messages tied to the betting scheme.

Interviews later revealed that Fulcher had added teammates to a group chat with one of the bettors, who offered cash for the team to lose.

On the morning of the game, the players joined a FaceTime call with the bettor, during which Madlock said he was injured and would not play. Knox reported that the group agreed to throw the game and later received $2,000 in total for their participation.

How the scheme unfolded

The NCAA’s enforcement staff determined that the four players violated ethical conduct rules at the highest level. Fulcher and Hines were found to have misled investigators by denying involvement in calls with bettors and personal betting activity, even though records showed otherwise. 

Fulcher had placed bets through a daily fantasy site, while Hines failed to provide the requested text records after his interview. 

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Both were later indicted in January 2026 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on charges including bribery in sports wagering contests, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

Madlock, who had already exhausted his eligibility, declined to participate in the investigation altogether. Knox, meanwhile, cooperated and confirmed that the group had accepted money to influence the outcome of the Southern Mississippi game. 

The NCAA noted that while penalties are not directly imposed on student‑athletes by the Committee on Infractions, the consequences are clear: once found in violation, athletes are ruled ineligible and can only be reinstated with the support of an NCAA institution. 

The panel reviewing the case included Norman Bay, Susan Lipnickey, and Steve Waterfield, who emphasized that failing to cooperate with an NCAA investigation, including knowingly giving false information, is itself a serious violation.

“Failure to cooperate in an NCAA investigation, including knowingly providing false information during an interview, violates NCAA rules,” the report stated.

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